On the 23rd May 2023, the WHO declared " great hope" an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency. Sixteen months later, many workers are still working home. Retail giant Amazon has decided it is time to end its hybrid work policy. The company has told its employees they must return to a five-day week the 2nd of January 2025. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told staff a memo that: "We've decided that we're going to return to being the office the way we were Covid." He said being other staff would help workers collaborate, brainstorm, and invent. He added that teaching and learning one another is "more seamless" the office.
Some employees Amazon are unhappy the return-to-office rule. Staff have a history telling Amazon about their concerns. In February 2023, Amazon required its employees to be the office three days a week. This caused many workers the company's Seattle headquarters to protest. They walked of their offices. The workers also complained about job cuts. Amazon cut 27,000 jobs globally early 2023. Another complaint was about Amazon's contribution to climate change. The workers believe that asking people to commute to work will "accelerate the climate crisis". Mr Jassy has created a "bureaucracy mailbox" staff to make complaints company rules.